Rye lifeguard saves two kids

RYE — Not too many lifeguards can say they saved a life during their first year ever on the job.

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By Karen Dandurant

seacoastonline.com

By Karen Dandurant

Posted Aug. 15, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Karen Dandurant

Posted Aug. 15, 2014 at 2:00 AM

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RYE — Not too many lifeguards can say they saved a life during their first year ever on the job.

Sydney Snow can say she saved two.

The 18-year-old from Groveland, Mass., was on duty at Wallis Sands State Park on Thursday morning when she noticed two children on boogie boards playing in what she considered unsafe conditions.

Large storms Wednesday night had caused rough seas and higher surf than she had ever seen at the state beach, Snow said. Ken Loughlin, manager of the state park, agreed that conditions were much rougher than usual.

"That storm is swirling around the Gulf of Maine right now, so it's stirring things up," Loughlin said. "We have what I'd call a trifecta. There's a full moon, so a spring tide. It was high tide and then add in the storm effects."

Snow whistled for the children to head back toward shore, but they were not able to get there. She said the youngsters, who were not identified, went out past the waves and were being pulled in deeper by strong winds.

"I saw that they were struggling, so I went in after them," Snow said. "Their mother went in, too. I grabbed my torp (rescue buoy) and headed toward them. They were really scared and didn't know what to do, having never been in such a situation. It took a long time to get them in."

Loughlin said it took about 25 minutes to bring the children in safely. Afterward, lifeguards posted red caution flags on the beach, advising that people not go in the water past their knees.

Snow said that when she reached the children and their mother, she convinced the younger girl and the mother to grab and hold onto the torp. The older child grabbed the torp and was pulled in on her boogie board. The quick-thinking lifeguard brought in all three family members at the same time.

"I didn't see it happen, but I came out after to see how Sydney was doing," Loughlin said. "Rescues can be pretty stressful for some lifeguards, but not her. She was just ready to go back to work."

Snow never did get any information on the identity of, or the ages of the children. Instead, she got a note of gratitude and $200, left in her bag by her lifeguard chair.

"I was just doing my job," Snow said, although that family probably disagrees that it was all she was doing that day.